Tales from the forest

Busy With The Pooper Scooper

Just as Irishman and I had finally got some semblance of order back in our lives, there was a knock at the door. Stood on the doorstep was my dear friend Mo with a tiny puppy in her arms.

Wilma at 4 weeks

The little scrap was crawling in fleas and shivering. Over night some callous person had dumped the pup in her garden, no doubt in the hope that some English sucker would find the poor mite and take on the responsibility of their unwanted puppy. Unfortunately this is a common occurrence here. Understandably Mo didn’t want to be saddled with a puppy, and besides she was about to leave for the airport so what were we to do?

As luck would have it, the scruffy mite was almost the dead spit of Colin. Similar markings, same waggy tail and eyes that screamed out ‘Love me!’ How could I resist?

There was however, one hurdle to get over. How was I to convince Irishman that we needed another dog?

‘NO!’ ‘The answer is N.O!’ ‘But PLEASE’ I begged, ‘PLEASE can’t we keep her? I promise that I’ll mop up all the wees and pick up the poos and she’ll be as good as gold, and she’ll keep Colin company when we are out. Look, she’s JUST LIKE COLIN!’

Thanks, Wilma

Irishman was furious. ‘It won’t stop at just this one Lottie. If word gets round that we’ve taken on this dumped puppy, every bloody Tom, Dick and Harry will think that they can start dumping their unwanted puppies and kittens on our doorstep and I’m not having it!’ Irishman was looking decidedly cross patch.

It was time for amateur dramatics. A few tears should do the trick. I managed to squeeze a couple out and put on my best Really Sad face. Colin looked sad too. We both stared dolefully at Irishman, willing him to change his mind. Fortunately it took all of five seconds.

‘Oh bloody hell! All right then BUT this is the last time. Do you understand?’ ‘NO MORE ANIMALS!’

Trying her luck on the sofa

And so that is how, 5 weeks ago today, Wilma White came in to our lives. We whisked her straight down to the vet to be checked over and were told that she was only about 3.5/4 weeks old. Who ever dumped her, I was going to have their guts for garters. Muggins here was going to have to do round the clock feeds for at least ten days.

Three days later there was another knock at the door. My heart sank. This time it was a kitten. The difference this time was that it wasn’t a total surprise as we had been enquiring around the village if anyone had any kittens. That was of course pre-Wilma. How was Uncle Colin going to take to a new puppy and a kitten in the space of just three days?

Hedley Roberts and Willow

Well as you can imagine, he wasn’t that thrilled. Every time he saw the kitten he licked his lips in anticipation of devouring her, and his initial interest in Wilma had most certainly waned. After some nasty nips and don’t mess with me growls from him, she decided that the safest place to be was on top of the dirty washing pile in the bathroom.

Hiding in the boxers

Wilma and Willow are now inseparable. They eat together, sleep together, play and fight together. I spend most of my day trying to rescue Willow from Wilma’s clutches. She has a wont to drag the kitten round the garden by her ear. But kitty seems to love it as no sooner than I’ve saved her, she’s back to chasing after Wilma and biting her back. Uncle Colin looks on. His expression alternates between utter disgust and a hint of love. He’s the only one of us who has any control over Wilma’s penchant for biting. One growl from him and she’s like putty in his hands. When I try it she just thinks it a game. Every single dress I possess now has rips in the back of them from her vicious fangs and trying to get around as she hangs of the end of my flip-flops is a joke.

For the past month there’s been no time for drawing or writing so Matias & Marcela have had to take a back seat for the moment. More infuriating is the fact that we are still no closer to starting work on the house in Alcala. Last week I was excited to be contacted by a well-known TV station in the UK. They were interested in featuring Pete and I in a programme that they are making about Brits starting businesses in the south of Spain. My preliminary telephone interview was going swimmingly until I had to admit that there was no way on earth that work on the house was going to be finished by the end of October, the last date that they are available for filming. Dammit! We were SO close to TV superstardom, I could almost smell it!

50 thoughts on “Busy With The Pooper Scooper”

Hi Lotte! I love this story; we have done the same thing here in Greece. We have just accepted an offer on our house in Greece and we are coming to Spain if the sale succeeds. We are looking forward to a change of scene, and I hope to meet you one day. Maybe I will attend your art school, as I do a bit of painting. Good luck with the menagerie and take care, Lynn Tremarco xxx Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:55:57 +0000 To: trimpigi@hotmail.com

Thank you, Lyn 🙂 I’m happy that you enjoyed the story. How exciting that you are moving to Spain. Where are you planning on looking for a house? I can highly recommend the estate agent that we used if its this area that you are interested in. I’d love to meet you! Good luck with your house sale and please, keep in touch. If you need any help or advice, just shout xxx

Lovely 🙂 !! That was my first thought, seeing the cute puppy.. but you just topped it once again – a little cat too 😀 It’s hardly surprising that the Irishman nearly collapsed.. but it is just wonderful- the animal farm (not the collapsing Irishman). And it’s getting better and better.. I just remember, that maybe the first story I read of yours was the rat in your kitchen in Bali 😉 So you`re rally improved by the way 😀

Oh Marta! THE RAT! please don’t remind me!! it was so horrible. I wish that I’d had Wilma there, she would have chased it off in seconds 🙂 we had lots of rats at that house, they were everywhere Eeeek 😛

Yes, mooochos scorchio but very nice. All that’s missing is the pool! hah! we’d better win the lottery for that to happen 😉 it’s very sad about the amount of dogs abandoned here. And I can’t bear to see the dogs kept permanently chained up. Makes me very sad. Colin and Wilma are the lucky ones xox

Yes. Whew !
In this village they are chained up next to chicken runs sometimes barking all night. I don’t like to see the farm animals, goats, mules etc. hobbled as well.
Yes, your two and my two cats are the lucky ones. I’ll have to tell them that so they can appreciate me more 😉 ❤

Thank you 🙂 They are very sweet and seem to have settled in well. We really don’t have the space for any more dogs so I’ll be very sad to have to turn away any other furry offerings that may get delivered to our door. Guess it was Wilma’s lucky day. Two is perfect 😉

Two lovely additions who were very lucky indeed. I hope more aren’t dumped on you though or the Irishman may get quite peeved.
Do we have to queue up to talk to you now you’re near star? How about autographs?
xxx Massive Hugs Lottie xxx

Don’t worry David, my nano second of ‘almost’ fame hasn’t changed me in the least! Poor long suffering Irishman, he deserves a medal for putting up with me and my love of animals. Of course he loves them really, he just didn’t want to get bogged down with the responsibility of keeping pets and not being able to get away with out having the hassle of employing a zoo keeper. My feelings are that its not a home without various furry friends lying idle on sofas and beds or getting under ones feet! 😉
Massivo huggos to you too xxxxxxxxx

Ohmigosh, Lottie, BABIES!!!! I was smiling from ear-to-ear as I read this and scrolled through the photos. You (and the hesitant Irishman) are awesome for taking both Wilma and Willow into your home. I never ever will understand how someone can throw a kitten or puppy out like the trash, with no way to fend for themselves. Shame on them, huge kudos to both of you. I hope you will keep us updated with more photos and stories about the “kids.” Such a cute little family!

Yes, Fred has definitely popped in to my head on more than one occasion! I’m not even sure how we arrived at Wilma in the first place, I wanted to call her after one of the fairies in A MIdsummer’s NIght’s Dream – not Puck of course, that might have been a mistake but maybe something like Moth or Peaseblossom. However, Wilma it is and that seems to have stuck.

It’s horrible how many animals are just dumped here – this time of the year is the worst as people go on holiday and just leave their animals to fend for themselves. It’s quite heartbreaking.

Don’t worry, there will be loads more photos to come of the latest additions and I’m sure lots of stories too! xxx

It’s the second time its happened! I don’t know if you remember the post that I wrote in Indonesia about House Hunters International? I was all excited and then bahm! couldn’t use us because we weren’t actually buying a house, just renting. Boo Hoo! How are you Puff? hope everything ok xxx

Maybe someone already came up with this…guilty of not reading every comment here…but was Willow waiting for the catnip to sprout? I am not a cat person, but it would be hard to deny her a home. And the same goes for Wilma. You’ve added two cuties to the homestead. All that said, I can understand Pete’s concern. They all tug at your heartstrings, don’t they. We are trying to hold off until the house interior is painted and by then winter will arrive so not until next Spring should we be adding a new love interest to our lives. But fate sometimes steps in so we will see.

Steve, I’m so happy having a cat around again. It’s been years since I’ve had a cat and I go weak at the knees when I hear her purring. Pete’s away this week so she’s sharing the bed with me 🙂 Wilma is banished from the bedroom. She’s far to energetic and biting me to get even 5 minutes of sleep!

I’m very happy to hear that you are thinking of adding a new love interest to your lives. I bet you miss Murphy like crazy. It’s a big hole in ones life when they are gone. We weren’t planning on getting another dog but, as you can see fate dictated that we were would so now we really do have our hands full 🙂

Poor Colin hasn’t got any balls. There’s no way that he’s been moonlighting bless him! and Wilma and Willow will be neutered as soon as they are old enough so no risk of passionate one night stands for those two either! Tickled that you liked the post, thank you Sherry 🙂

Great to see you back planning to have an animal farm. I am sure Irish can’t wait for you to put an adv up accepting stray cats and dogs. 😉 Lovely and adorable pets though. The lure of a puppy. Love the snippets of your house shown in the photos. Hope fame will eventually get to you, you deserve for all the hard work you have put into it.

Sadly I’m not sure that I have the energy or physical strength for farming again. My back is knackered from years of lifting which is a pain in every sense 😦 but, it is very nice having a puppy and kitten in the house and Pete is toying with the idea of a keeping a few chickens 🙂 of course a goat or two would be nice and a donkey of course and maybe a few sheep …….

I opened my computer early and then went back to sleep abound 9am. Got back up at 12:30pm and then dove into feeding, medicating and giving sub cu fluids. Then picked about 20 figs, came in the house, put pet towels in the washer and fixed an early supper.

So here I am at 6:40pm after reading your marvelous post. I was so happy to read about Willow and Wilma. I swear that those two are the cutest little boogers. The photos are excellent and enhance the post so much. I had no idea that you had to plead with Pete to allow you to take the puppy. Wilma really is a little beauty and so is Willow. Cats are so soothing and I love when mine squeak and purr for attention and petting.

Be sure to take lots of photos of the puppy and kitten. You’ll be glad that you did later on. Oh and when do we get to see the canaries?

That’s a dang shame that you missed being on TV. That would have meant some great advertising for the art school. With luck maybe you’ll have another chance. You and Pete deserve some recognition.

One day soon I hope I’ll get that email written. There is so much to write about. It is hot here too (99 degrees today) with the heat index around 110 degrees or so.

Yvonne, do you ever have time to sit down? You are always SO busy. I hope that you are not over doing things. Please don’t over do it.

The terrible two are very sweet. I’d quite forgotten what a lot of work puppies are. I seem to spend my life sweeping up shredded bits and bobs, wrestling her off chair legs, trying to break up fights between the kitten and puppy and mopping up pee and poo. Wilma is a strong character – I may need your advice on a couple of things. She’s definitely got a lot of terrier in her. I wish I knew who her mum and dad are, then I’d have more of an idea of her mix. I can’t wait for the end of next week when she can finally go out for a walk on the lead. It seems an eternity since she arrived and she’s bursting with energy and gets bored now in the yard. Definitely time for her to run off a bit of steam, and hopefully it will calm her down a bit. Also give Willow a bit of rest from the constant chasing and rough and tumble.

Hola guapa! Ohhh.. if those aren’t the most lovable creatures you’ve gathered up.. the perfect menagerie for you ‘n el hombre artistico!! Wilma White, Willow and Uncle Colin.. I won’t be surprise if these adorable characters show up in one of your future books 😉 xox

Yes, Uncle Colin as he’s now referred to has taken on a new lease of life since the babies arrived. He was a bit sniffy at first but now he loves their company. I caught him giving Wilma a bit of kiss and cuddle the other day. He looked quite embarrassed when he realised that I’d seen him xox

Life is just too dang dull when described with the words “semblance” and “order,” eh?

Uncle Colin, Wilma, and Willow will keep you running for a while I’m sure, but how totally worth it. And look at all the delightful photos they have provided, along with hours of entertainment! I do hope the Irishman’s concerns come to naught and you don’t end up tripping over future gifts of puppies and kittens on your way out the door, though. It is simply much too hard to say “no” to their sweet faces!

I’m sorry to hear about the TV show and the work on your business not being ready in time for their program. Another television opportunity will be presented. An even better one! Keep the faith, dear Lottie xoxo

I think you know, in fact I know you know that when I say ‘semblance’ and ‘order’ its got its own meaning – there’s nothing ordered about my life – in fact even as I write this I can see that my dress is inside out 😉 I’m dreading the next knock at the door – I’m praying for a miracle, that every Spanish home with pets will get them spayed! hey, it’s time for a skype call, are you free later? xoxo

Yes, you are right, she is almost a clone of Mr Yule Log. The difference being that she’s not going to be so big and also her tail of course has not been docked. She’s definitely more hirsute. Eyebrows and a little moustache – not so appealing on a woman but rather fetching on Miss Wilma.
I’ll never get the donkey that I so long for – well, actually I could get the donkey that I long for BUT, I then would lose my husband. I suppose I must content myself that he’s an ass of sorts….BMB 😉

I don’t know where to start, such a touching story and pretty photos. Will you ever be able to say no or is this the start up of Lott’s Of Animals (refuge)? I picture Pete shaking his head, somewhere down the line, knee deep in cats and dogs declaring, “I told you so!” I’m glad they bring you so much happiness and you are so patient too. Colin is also a star -he’s the size of a Labrador when compared to the pup. Best to you all George x

George, there is no way that Pete will entertain more animals. To be honest, 2 dogs and a cat is enough. I’ve only just been able to sit down today and get on with some work. I had to separate the kitten and puppy first as they fight and make sure that Uncle Colin wasn’t up to any mischief before I could settle down with the paints and pens and get cracking.

It occurred to me the other day why I am finding them quite hard work and then I remembered how when my children were young they would spend hours entertaining puppies and kittens that we had and so I never really had to do anything much other than clear up the odd accident and feed them. Wilma’s longing to go out in to the big world. Neither she nor I can wait until next Friday when she has her final puppy injections. Then we can go exploring and hopefully she’ll burn off a bit of energy HOORAY! xxx and yes, Colin is a star. He’s secretly rather pleased to have Wilma around, I think he genuinely enjoys her company. He’s even started chasing a ball round the yard – maybe he’s having a mid-life crisis?!

The thing is never say never. The god/desses hear it and then the next animal is dropped off. I learned that the hard way. Now we say, “oh yesh!” and the dropoffs have stopped. Of course we woudl nto trade our guys and gals for anything. Family.

Oh yesh it is then! I shall heed your advice 🙂 I think all things considered I’ve been remarkably restrained in the animaux departemento- we’ve been offered so many puppies and kittens since moving here but I have been strong willed. The only reason we’ve got Wilma is that she’s so like Colin our bodeguero X – we love his nature, let’s hope feisty Wilma turns out the same.